UFC fighter is again taking the spotlight. Jared Cannonier is asking for a seven-figure UFC contract after years near the top of the middleweight division. The veteran says his resume should carry more financial weight as he returns against Christian Leroy Duncan on July 18 in Oklahoma City.
Jared Cannonier has been around the UFC long enough to know where he stands. The 42-year-old middleweight has fought at heavyweight, light heavyweight and 185 pounds, built an 18-9 record, challenged Israel Adesanya for the UFC title, and has spent years fighting established names on major cards.
Jared Cannonier Takes UFC Fighter Pay Debate Head-On
But Cannonier says his contract does not reflect that level of service. Speaking to Full Send MMA ahead of his clash with Christian Leroy Duncan, “The Killa Gorilla” gave a direct assessment of what he believes he should earn.
“I would like to get paid the same way the highest level athletes in any sport get paid,” Cannonier said. “I should have million dollar contracts at the stage I’m in. I’ve been top 10 for seven, eight years. I’m not complaining, but it’s how I feel.”
Cannonier was talking from the position of a fighter who has been a contender, carried main-event responsibilities and remained relevant in one of the UFC’s deepest weight classes. His biggest opportunity came at UFC 276 in July 2022, when he went five rounds with Adesanya for the middleweight belt. Cannonier lost a unanimous decision, but the title shot followed a run that included a finish of Derek Brunson.
Other Leagues and Lawsuits
UFC fighter compensation has remained one of MMA’s longest-running arguments. Lawsuits brought by former UFC athletes alleged the promotion paid fighters roughly 10 percent to 17 percent of event revenue, while players in the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL receive more than half of league revenue through collective bargaining arrangements. Under the WNBA’s new 2026 collective bargaining agreement, the minimum base salary starts at $270,000 for a player with no league service and rises with experience, with the average player now earning $583,000.
The first major antitrust case, Le v. Zuffa, ended with court approval of a $375 million settlement in February 2025. It covers more than 1,100 fighters who competed in UFC bouts between December 16, 2010, and June 30, 2017. A separate case, Johnson v. Zuffa, covers fighters from July 2017 onward and remains in the legal system. Its claims include allegations that the UFC used exclusive contracts and market control to suppress fighter earnings; the UFC has disputed those allegations.
Cannonier’s point lands in the middle of that argument. A fighter can be a title challenger, a familiar face and a reliable headliner, then still feel miles away from the money attached to star athletes in other leagues.
Cannonier meets England’s Christian Leroy Duncan in a middleweight bout at UFC Oklahoma City on July 18. Cannonier enters ranked No. 9 at 185 pounds, while Duncan arrives with a 14-2 record and a chance to score the biggest win of his UFC run.
